Everyday life of a working grannie and hubby(6 gorgeous grandchildren) and my 91 year old Mum,Joyce, living with us,we love our little home,our chickens and "George", Bob's cockatoo who goes to work with him each day.

Our Home our Haven

Monday, October 31, 2011

A New Outfit for George

I was getting fabrics ready for all my Christmas sewing and to have a sewing day with Lyn on Sunday and decided that although we thought George was a boy for over 3 years I cannot see him in roses and lace! so one of the fabrics I had was with skateboards and thought George would love it as he wore it to work yesterday.

Just like kids George always moves his head at the vital moment lol.This is his nappy suit for those that have not read of them before, I bought his first one he had as a baby from Ebay it cost $40!!!!! we have adapted the pattern over the years to fit him as he grew and they take me about 10 minutes and small amount of fabric,elastic and velcro..if anyone has a bird that lives in the home these are great and i am happy to send you a pattern.We cut the smallest size disposable baby nappy in half and it slips in the front, no mess on the furniture or more important on the mail.

I have posted on the Christmas challenge my list of what I am going to make, sorry to the girls i have not got it on my sidebar yet , I am trying to work it out, a lovely has given me direction,I just have to do it! the blog hosting this is Polka Dot Daze...please visit her lovely blog.

Friday, October 28, 2011

A Day at Work

Some of the lovely blogs I follow take me on a journey when they walk their dogs or just amble down the beautiful countryside either in UK or France, I can't take you on a walk today but I thought I would take you to work with me.
I have started my little show half way through my mail run as the first half I have blogged about before,also I have not done the water crossings again,but I am showing you some of the nice beings and flowers we encounter each day,just a snippett as I do not want to bore you,so this is my Friday at work this week.

Even all the way up into the hills these people have a very 'towney" mailbox.

See the little white dot above the trees just to the right? that is a home I go to that 2 lovely people live in,they are in their 80's very isolated and I take them their paper etc,they are gorgeous and often come out to say hello.

This is Mum my 90 almost 91 year old apprentice, she holds the mail box and gets the next stop mail ready, part of my job is to add the shops catalogues to the mail and that's what Joycie is doing here.

This is a wild dog, the farmers hang them from posts to show that they have caught the animal stealing the little lambs and foals, they put poison out for these dogs or they shoot them whichever way it is a huge problem for the farmer.What happens is that we have a native wild dog called a Dingo which is this colour and lighter sometimes then the young men go out catching wild pigs with Pig Dogs which are aggressive and sometimes they get lost, they then mate with the Dingo and wild dogs become the scavenger of the babies born.This fellow is huge.

This is a pic of a plane called a "crop duster" we see them all the time, the farms are so big and vast that they are fertilised by plane, it is hair raising as sometimes you feel you could touch them if you reached out,the pilots have to be very good and brave I think.He was swaying in between the light and dark greenery,you can see a misty look,that's the fertilizer.

This is a shed/home.I am in awe of the lady that lived here,she is on her own with 5 kids,she did not have proper running water and although she has a pump to the house from the river, some nasty person told the council and she is not allowed to live there until that septic tank you can see is attached etc,it is a lot of money for her but with Gods help she will one day be back in there,she lives in another farmhouse up the road and comes and works with her horses and cows everyday, her kids have the best smiles I have ever seen,shiny hair and gorgeous teeth.She is a good Mum.They attend the little local school with 4 pupils, I will take you there one day.

This is Miss Mary,she says hello she is laying down having a rest,she belongs to the shed and you would swear she was talking.She has not long calved.

This is their letterbox....it used to be upon the sticks but the horses kept scratching against it and knocking it over, so the kids built this, isn't it great, I told them this is the best mailbox on my run.

This farmhouse is on the other side of the river that I cross, I always think this is the absolute typical Aussie farmhouse,windmill and all, I would love to live here.(they are nice people too,in fact all my people are nice lol).

This is a group of cattle we see each day, they know who we are they stand on the road and don't care if I am in a rush,we always stop and say hello, this one actually had its head in the car a couple of second before I took the pic.

This is little Toby,he comes to greet us too,his Mum has the most beautiful roses.

We are in full swing of foaling season and much of my customers are horse studs so we are blessed with seeing new foals on a day to day basis but I never get tired of seeing them each new one as fascinating as the last.

Pests to the farmers but here are some wild thistle flowers,no idea what anything is called .

This one is almost like a Hollyhock.
Thanks for sharing my day.For me work is a leveller, I see sad things like dead animals on the road,then a majestic Wedegetail Eagle will swoop down and as I watch I see him take it to a huge nest high in a tree, life's chain goes on.
I never feel like I do not want to go to work, I do get very tired and getting in and out of the car to open and close gates is not my favourite thing in the summer as we have very hot summers here,I have had to wait for snakes to cross at times,other times I have had to run over them,it makes me sad,but my office is delightful and I would not have it any other way.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Especially for a blogger friend by request.

A new follower has asked me about George who by natures tricks is now Georgie lol,having black eyes for 3 years ,Georgies eyes have changed to a lighter colour telling us he is a she! Georgie will turn 5 this year well now actually ...

He/she is a huge part of our lives, even made the headlines in the city paper ,but to us he is just very special.

I make little suits for Georgie he has them in every colour and Xmas ones..in these we place a piece of baby disposable,this allows Goergie to come to work and not poop all over the mail.Australia Post even officially issued him with a tag that we staff have he in No.1 on his tag that goes on a little harness he wears on the bike as a safety option.

Best friends watering the garden, Georgie loves empty beer cans and plays with them for ages.

Helping in the kitchen..

If you google George the cockatoo Aberdeen(prob have to put Australia after that)...the one that comes up "George puts his stamp on the mail" you will find a great story and pic of Bob and Georgie at work on the bike, for some reason it would not let me bring it across,hope you have enjoyed reading about our extended family .

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Joyful Days of Cousin Fun and Little Blessings.

We had a family birthday gathering on Saturday, it was to be next month but we all had to bring it forward.As our family is spread all over we had to choose a mid way approx 1 hour travel each and accessible by train.So we chose Maitland about 1 1/4 hours for us and our son and our daughter who is waiting for her new car to be delivered came by train with her 3 munch kins.The train station has an overhead walkway ,you alight the train and walk straight over to the park,perfect.
The park there is beautiful,huge shaded tress a playground for every age and BBQ's everywhere,sorry the pics are before we set the table nicely and we were waiting until we were all there,even great Nana came, so happy 40th for Kate, 13 and 36 for Alex and Aunty Kirsty,38 for Michael and 6 for Elijah.This year will be the 10th anniversary for the loss of Kirsty's Mum so she looks a little whisful but she had a lovely day, family gatherings are hard for her as Mum and Dad both gone,we make sure she is well loved and hugged.

Bob our Kate and Great Nana watching the kids ,we are waiting for our son and family to arrive, look at those trees and they are all round the park,we were in the shade all day as it was so hot and a gorgeous day.

Olivia in pink shorts waiting for her turn on the flying fox.

Aunty Kirsty looking wistful,but really she did smile most of the day and chat,until I saw this I did not realise she had "some moments"but she got lots of hugs, Michael and Lilli behind and Olivia tells Uncle Michael all about how school is going.

I made a chocolate gateau for a joint cake and it was sooo rich we had it with double cream and fresh raspberries yummy.....it took 7eggs!!! thank goodness we have chickens.

On Saturday I had promised to help a friend with her garage sale but when the date of our gathering was changed I could not so I wet on Friday afternoon and helped her price the things,I did buy 2 cups and saucer sets,one pink of course lol and then on Sunday morning I took my money down and she gave me this little salt pepper and mustard set that I had admired,not thinking I would buy them but they are different.

She also gave me this old fishing basket that used to belong to her brother who had passed over,she spayed it pink and I love it,take it she said and we argued over me paying however I ended up with it and it will go where I sew,perfect for my bits and pieces.

I could not resist this not so old biscuit tin,it is just lovely great for laces etc.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Some Favourite Things.

I was reading another blog the other day that I follow and she had a picture of her lovely blue chook,I left a comment saying I was given a white milk glass one a long time ago and she asked me to put up a pic.I think all our bits around the house have a tale to tell, my chook belonged to a friends mother who had bought this chook and 3 flying ducks out from England with her as a young woman.
She developed lung cancer and as my friend cold not cope I was the one that did the yukky bits and just plain sat with Bloss and loved her, she had a love of Scratchies,you know you scatch and win,and i used to have to sneak them to her as her daughter did not approve lol.Anyway she asked me to have these when she left this great earth as she said June would send them to the tip,and they have been here for over 20 years now.They have been a joke between us ever since, from this came a lifetime friendship of June and I and she has now moved up to Queensland to the Gold Coast where retirees with a couple of dollars go bless her she loves it.

My chook, she sits upon and old meat safe cupboard in the kitchen and we keep keys etc in her,her eyes are like little beads I imagine they are glass.

Flying ducks, these are quite old ones and are numbered etc,Bloss was sure these were going to the tip lol.They have only left the wall once in 20 odd years for painting.

This is another special little person.She is an authentic Aboriginal dolly that I got at a garage sale a long time ago,she is dressed as they did long ago her clothing made reeds and shells, the lady told me at the time she bought her up in the Northern Territory so that made me happy and she did not want her children to break her,well 6 kids look at her here and they care for her and she sits upon an old desk,in pride of place.

She does have a scary face though, I got her because I could show the children what a wonderful history the "true Australians " have,after all this trouble about boat people, we too once were"boat people",these people are the real owners of this wonderful land.

And some of my little jugs, I tell myself there are too many, then I tell myself some girls have too many shoes so what do a few jugs hurt,this is just a few in a little shelf of the kitchen,I love all the old pink Meakin ones and have a collection in each size,come to think of it I love all the colours!The older the better.
I shall show some other old relics as the days go by,no I did not mean pics of Bob and I !!!!lol

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

A Lemon Cordial Update....

Thanks for your enquiry Jaqueline I realised I did leave a bit out.

The lemon cordial is diluted with water, you need to use only 1/3 of the amount of shop bought cordials. There will be settlement on top of your bottles so just give it a tip up and down before you pour,it is just the lemon rind and little pieces of any that got away on you.I usually juice my lemons and then from the juicer pour it through a strainer before I put it in mix then add the rind but you can leave it all in if you like.
The acids are in your grocery store in the same section that you would get food colouring and hundreds of thousands those kinds of cake making items.
It is also good to let it sit for a week or so they say but we seem to have a hairy old fella here that makes a glass as soon as it is cool !
This whole process is very quick just a very short time and you are done.Enjoy.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Results of Sewing Day

First of all the home made
Lemon Cordial Recipe

2kg castor Sugar
1 Litre water
6 Large Lemons
30grams Tataric Acid
30grams Citric Acid
Place sugar and water in a saucepan(not aluminium) and over a medium to low heat dissolve the sugar completely,take off the heat stir in both acids and sit to cool.
Juice the lemons and grate the rind from 2 of them.When mixture is cool(I do this when luke warm as I am impatient ) add the juice and rind stir well and bottle..I have been saving screw top wine bottles and this makes 2 of these and a small drink bottle.
This is so easy.cheap and refreshing,it is not over sweet but lovely and sweet/tart...hope that makes sense I think it would be to your taste Cro.
I read that you can use oranges,lemon and oranges mixed and add passionfruit for a fruit salad taste,I am yet to do these.

Our sewing day was great, Bob was around most of the time,he had all his shed jobs finished before the girls got here as we are early risers.he chatted sometimes,made our lunch which her offered to do and it was lovely,the cake was really nice with hot runny custard.
The girls went home a lot lighter after unloading their problems,Lyn could barely stay awake as she had not had much sleep but she had a lot of laughs,we met many years ago when we worked at the local abbatior,actually we all met there, I had to go when Bob had his breakdown as we had one child just started Uni and one in year 10 not a good time if one had a choice but we lived through it,and it was a culture shock for me,I must write a blog about it one day.
When the works shut down 10 years ago Wendy and I went on to do different work,Lyn not knowing anything else as it was her first and only ever job went to the same type of work at our next town,she is exhausted as it is hard,cold work and a real slog for her, her husband ran off with a younger lady that worked with us too about 12 years ago now and she never got over him...anyhow she is lovely and I love her and I would walk over burning coals for her,if I win Lotto it is her door I will be knocking on,and to top it all off her had a buggar!!! of a son ,one good one and one naughty,a man,daddy of 3 never worked a day and lives off her grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!! makes you wonder why good people have to keep having hard times, I am sure God will bless Lyn abundantly one day.

Anyway here is what I got done on the day, all the hand sewing is being done today at Cackle Club

These are heat bags and tissue holders to match and the little bags are the lavender draw bags I do,I was given the lovely fabrics by old Mr Miles a farmer on my run and they were lovely to play with, I will stitch the joins today.

These are 2 old laces that were in my box, the heavy cotton ones are from the 60's and the lace from Kirsty's wedding box so one each for the girls.

These ones are the stretch lace the latest fad apparently,yes there is 2 of each one for Lilli and Livvy.

These are the Christmas pyjama shorts ready to be cut to the length they had requested,the boys have the cockatoo ones and the girls the gingerbread ones.I think the boys will love the Georgie ones as they all love Bobs cockatoo.
Well thats what I got done, the girls make fun of me saying i can never make one of anything...I just realised they are right there are another little pile of heat bags not in the pic...O'h dear..must have a disorder of some kind...I know what it is I like giving things away to people so guess thats where many will go...
Have a lovely day and thank you for your lovely comments,like many others we write the blog just because...lol...and think no one will ever find it interesting,so thank you so much..have a blessed day.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Friends day Sunday

I have 2 special friends that have a few little troubles family wise and there is no quick fix, i think we have all been there and still most of us if we are honest,there is always a little underlying something that worries us late at night.
Anyway I have not used the overlocker yet that I was left from out kates mother in law Ruth so today Wendy and Lyn are coming for the day.Wendy is going to show me the correct way to use my overlocker and we are going to sew and laugh perhaps a tear or two but the object is to make our grandaughters some more headbands,do the childrens Xmas shorts and have a nice time...O'h is forgot the most important part eating!!!!!

I made a challenge to myself, to make everything from what is here and no quick trip to the shops so here is todays food minus the boring bits lol.
Bob is going to do marinated chicken pieces(from the freezer) that have been soaking in our home made Chilli and Plum sauce overnight, we will cut all mixed vegies and mix in a little oil and garlic and roast them, he will do these in the webber for us,home grown cauliflower and greens,that will be lunch did not take pics of that.

Scones in the making

Finished product.
For morning tea we have scones that I have just made,home made strawberry jam and double dip cream that I got with my groceries earlier in the week.

Peaches generously drizzled with golden syrup.

Home brand cake mix for the top(or bottom really)

Finished product.

For sweets we will have an upside down peach and syrup cake... I have no idea what this will taste like as the peaches are home stewed and frozen,defrosted,placed in the bottom of my tin,drizzled with golden syrup from the pantry, a mixed homebrand buttercake mix on top and we will have this with custard and cream,I will turn it out upside down...and did and it looks ok..what time do we get to eat this? lol
So plenty of sewing and eating today, the most important ingredient though is friendship,shoulders to lean on and the wonderful gift of confidentiality as there will be no one else knowing of the talks we have.
Sometimes I feel I have no friends that I can confide in and feel all lost and at sea, I have known both these girls for many years,we go to cackle club etc and often have a day when if I am taking one of the grandchildren back they come for company, I have not asked them around for the day before as I thought they would not be interested,although I have gone and gotten Lyn before (the jazzy self taught crochet lady) but it needed just to be me and her then as she was so upset, I digress!!! as usual..I just rang them both on Friday as I was feeling yukk that I could not be with kate on her birthday and asked them around, they were so excited as they often feel like asking me and think as I have Bob and Mum (they are both alone now)that I would not want to come...hello!!!! just ask me there are times I am so crowded I need just a little different company.
So here we are it is Sunday morning, neither friends drive so I will collect them about 10ish,I have to food all prepared and my sewing pile ready..I thank God for allowing me the pleasure of their company.that today His day I will be doing something that is good,Mum will be with us too as she loves them both,if they like it maybe we will make this a monthly thing to do,take turns who's home it is at but I am happy to have it here then Mum gets to have a chat to someone different.
Bob will do things in the shed,join us for food and as he is cooking the lunch I think he is a trooper!
Today is a grateful day and I am truley that, if I can't be with my children and their families this is surely the next best thing!

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Happy 40th Precious One.

Our daughter is 40 years old today....where did the time go!
Named Katrina at birth,known as Kate to all that know her but she will always be Trini to us.
Wife of Stephen wonderful fun Mum to Alex,Livvy and Will.
Tonight Stephen got a babysitter and is taking Trini to dinner,there will be a few friends there,we cannot get Great Nanna there in time for dinner the trip is too much and over 2 hours is exhausting,soooo the family will have a get together on the 22nd of this month as several will be having birthdays and we will have a picnic day.

Have a wonderful evening sweetie you deserve it,Trini is a no fuss girl so did not want a party but we have all said look out 50! she has agreed that ,that birthday will be worth celebrating, she told me this morning its just another day,and you know what she is right,another day for her to brighten up for all those she meets,she is beautiful in soul,she works in a large cancer hospital where there is much sadness and I know that she makes a hard time so much easier for so many.
Bless you Miss Kate and all those who are loved by you.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Just a little post

Bob and I have had a huge 2 weeks. The owners of the Post Office are on holiday and every year we fill in for them doing the sorting,this means we start work 2 hours earlier everyday and we are pooped!!!
We do not do the actual Post Shop but out the back where all the sorting is done, by the time we are ready to do our own job we have already handled the mail 2 times and our eyeballs are spinning lol.

Anyway it is also daylight saving time so that means there is still plenty of time to get jobs done of an afternoon.

Bobs beetroot is ready so we have harvested the first lot and bottled it and the next lot are coming along nicely.So here is what I/we have been up to.

Bobs beetroot, last year they did not grow properly,now I think he's got it right,the new ones he has growing are strange almost carrot like so we can't wait for them they will be great for bottling,these were lovely not woody or anything..perfect Bob.

Four nice sized jars,a good amount at a time I think.

Home made Lemon cordial,I had forgotten how easy this was to make and how delicious and refreshing,as soon as I smelt the mix after adding the lemons I was a child again in Nanna's kitchen.

I love doing littla baby singlets, I had given the others away already they had 3 rabbits on them and trains,the smocking is so easy and looks sweet although looking at this it looks like perhaps I was a bit crooked lol o'h well it will be original. Baby singlets are something I buy when they are on special as you can do a little animal whenever you have a few minutes free and there is always someone you care about expecting..I also do bees,boats,roses and buds and have done a spider once and I did not like that...I know some ladies that do the baby socks but I am not that clever!
Have a great day everyone and enjoy doing whatever your day brings.xx

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Livvy has gone home and school is back in swing.We miss her very much she is delightful to have around,no trouble at all.
While she was here we did these few little things.

We stitched little crochet flowers onto her lovely cotton cardi that we got at the local op shop,never been worn and beautiful quality.

Decorated headbands for Livvy and we had to make some for Lilli at the same time.These have suffolk puffs and buttons from my stash.

These ones Livvy just wanted to do bright buttons.

These have lace on them from the box of laces from Lilli's Mums wedding box leftovers.We are going to make some that just have lace so that will be my job as my apprentice has gone home.

Two years ago I completed Lilli's quilt for when she is grown up as they need to be a bit older to appreciate all the work, and I was afraid I would not be able to do all the embroidery by the time the girls are 18...so I did Lilli's as it came as a block of the month,with Livvy's I got all behind so I sewed the quilt together last year and now I have started the embroidery(on the caravan trip) so it will take a while but I will get there.This is where I am up to.

This is a quilt from Leanne Beasley about the quilters journey,I am changing the sayings to some simple psalms and life's sayings,Olivia wanted me to have Peace and Love in one square,so I obeyed lol.

We saw this lovely Echidna on our mail run on Friday we were so excited that Livvy and Mum could sit and watch him eat ants, this is an adult one,last time we saw babies.

So we are back to three in the house, Molly is missing Olivia terrible as are we no little voice singing Doris Day in the background,no little giggle and a voice saying "I love you Grammy" so it is back to phone messages and memories galore until next time when a little one comes to stay.I am looking forward to the 30th October and we will all meet halfway for a family day..lots of fun ahead.

Happy are those who delight in doing what He commands. Their children will be successful everywhere, an entire generation of godly people will be blessed. They themselves will be wealthy, and their good deeds will never be forgotten. Psalm 112:1-3